diff --git a/go/delivery/assigner.go b/go/delivery/assigner.go
index 6c5d8e2..7987797 100644
--- a/go/delivery/assigner.go
+++ b/go/delivery/assigner.go
@@ -190,11 +190,14 @@ type Want struct {
 	// of policy record that the node agent judged to recreate a container or move its data is applied only when its
 	// want names the composition so allowed. Empty when none was asked.
 	Yes string `json:"yes,omitempty"`
+	// Self says the node composes this module itself (ADR 0547 §2): the want names the build alone, and no composition.
+	// A want that is not Self names the one composition it allows (ADR 0539 clause 1), as before.
+	Self bool `json:"self,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (w Want) check() error {
 	if w.Removed {
-		if w.FP != "" || w.Composed != "" || w.Newest != "" || w.Rule != 0 || w.Backup != "" || w.Put || w.Hold {
+		if w.FP != "" || w.Composed != "" || w.Newest != "" || w.Rule != 0 || w.Backup != "" || w.Put || w.Hold || w.Self || w.Yes != "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("delivery: a removed want names no fingerprint, composition, rule, backup answer or put")
 		}
 		return nil
@@ -208,9 +211,14 @@ func (w Want) check() error {
 	if err := checkFingerprint(w.FP, "a want's fingerprint"); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	// From ADR 0547's second milestone the node composes its own modules (§2), and a want names the build alone: no
-	// composition digest. A want written before names one, which is read as it was written.
-	if w.Composed != "" {
+	// From ADR 0547's second milestone a node the catalogue places composes its own modules (§2): its want is Self and
+	// names the build alone. Any other want names the one composition it allows (ADR 0539 clause 1).
+	switch {
+	case w.Self && w.Composed != "":
+		return fmt.Errorf("delivery: the want of %s says the node composes it, and names a composition", w.FP)
+	case !w.Self && w.Composed == "":
+		return fmt.Errorf("delivery: the want of %s names no composition: a want names the digest of the one composition it allows (ADR 0539 clause 1), unless the node composes it itself", w.FP)
+	case w.Composed != "":
 		if err := checkDigest(w.Composed, "a want's composition digest"); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -320,15 +328,15 @@ type NodeWant struct {
 	V        int    `json:"v"`
 	Composed string `json:"composed"`
 	Words    string `json:"words,omitempty"`
+	// Self says the node composes its own composition (ADR 0547 §2) and the want names none.
+	Self bool `json:"self,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// EncodeNodeWant is w as JSON at Version; it refuses a digest not of the sha256 form. From ADR 0547's second milestone
-// the node composes its own composition (§2) and its own want names none: an empty Composed is that want.
+// EncodeNodeWant is w as JSON at Version; it refuses a digest not of the sha256 form, and a want that names no
+// composition unless it says the node composes its own (Self, ADR 0547 §2).
 func EncodeNodeWant(w NodeWant) ([]byte, error) {
-	if w.Composed != "" {
-		if err := checkDigest(w.Composed, "the node's own want's composition digest"); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	if err := w.check(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	w.V = Version
 	return json.Marshal(w)
@@ -346,14 +354,23 @@ func DecodeNodeWant(data []byte) (NodeWant, error) {
 	if err := d.Decode(&w); err != nil {
 		return NodeWant{}, fmt.Errorf("delivery: a node's own want does not fit its shape: %w", err)
 	}
-	if w.Composed != "" {
-		if err := checkDigest(w.Composed, "the node's own want's composition digest"); err != nil {
-			return NodeWant{}, err
-		}
+	if err := w.check(); err != nil {
+		return NodeWant{}, err
 	}
 	return w, nil
 }
 
+// check refuses a node's own want that names no composition and does not say the node composes its own, or does both.
+func (w NodeWant) check() error {
+	switch {
+	case w.Self && w.Composed != "":
+		return fmt.Errorf("delivery: the node's own want says the node composes it, and names a composition")
+	case w.Self:
+		return nil
+	}
+	return checkDigest(w.Composed, "the node's own want's composition digest")
+}
+
 // EncodeHeld is h as JSON at Version; it refuses a node name a key refuses.
 func EncodeHeld(h Held) ([]byte, error) {
 	if err := h.check(); err != nil {
diff --git a/go/delivery/want_composed_test.go b/go/delivery/want_composed_test.go
index 98d3476..72858db 100644
--- a/go/delivery/want_composed_test.go
+++ b/go/delivery/want_composed_test.go
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ func TestAWantNamesItsComposition(t *testing.T) {
 		{FP: fp2of('a'), Composed: hashOf('1'), Newest: fp2of('b'), Rule: RuleComposed, Words: "no composition of b for ace yet"},
 		{Removed: true},
 		// ADR 0547 §2, §3 (issue 1126): from the second milestone a want names the build alone, and the yes a person gave.
-		{FP: fp2of('a')},
-		{FP: fp2of('a'), Yes: hashOf('3')},
+		{FP: fp2of('a'), Self: true},
+		{FP: fp2of('a'), Self: true, Yes: hashOf('3')},
 	} {
 		raw, err := EncodeWant(w)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ func TestAWantNamesItsComposition(t *testing.T) {
 		w   Want
 		why string
 	}{
-		{Want{FP: fp2of('a'), Yes: "sha256:12"}, "a want's yes allows"},
+		{Want{FP: fp2of('a')}, "names no composition"},
+		{Want{FP: fp2of('a'), Self: true, Composed: hashOf('1')}, "names a composition"},
+		{Want{FP: fp2of('a'), Self: true, Yes: "sha256:12"}, "a want's yes allows"},
+		{Want{Removed: true, Self: true}, "removed want names no"},
 		{Want{FP: fp2of('a'), Composed: "sha256:12"}, "not sha256"},
 		{Want{Removed: true, Composed: hashOf('1')}, "removed want names no"},
 		{Want{FP: fp2of('a'), Composed: hashOf('1'), Backup: "later"}, `backup answer "later"`},
@@ -48,8 +51,8 @@ func TestAWantNamesItsComposition(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("EncodeWant(%+v) = %v, want a refusal saying %q", r.w, err, r.why)
 		}
 	}
-	if w, err := DecodeWant([]byte(`{"v":1,"fp":"` + fp2of('a') + `"}`)); err != nil || w.Composed != "" {
-		t.Errorf("a want naming the build alone (ADR 0547 §2) is not read: %+v, %v", w, err)
+	if _, err := DecodeWant([]byte(`{"v":1,"fp":"` + fp2of('a') + `"}`)); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "names no composition") {
+		t.Errorf("a want of release 5, naming no composition and not the node's own, was read: %v", err)
 	}
 	if RuleComposed != 7 {
 		t.Errorf("RuleComposed = %d, want the seventh rule", RuleComposed)
@@ -90,13 +93,13 @@ func TestTheNodesOwnWant(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil || back != w {
 		t.Errorf("node want came back %+v, %v", back, err)
 	}
-	for _, bad := range []NodeWant{{Composed: "sha256:1"}} {
+	for _, bad := range []NodeWant{{}, {Composed: "sha256:1"}, {Self: true, Composed: hashOf('2')}} {
 		if _, err := EncodeNodeWant(bad); err == nil {
 			t.Errorf("EncodeNodeWant(%+v) accepted", bad)
 		}
 	}
 	// ADR 0547 §2 (issue 1126): from the second milestone the node composes its own composition, and its want names none.
-	if raw, err := EncodeNodeWant(NodeWant{Words: "the node composes its own"}); err != nil {
+	if raw, err := EncodeNodeWant(NodeWant{Self: true, Words: "the node composes its own"}); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("a node want naming no composition: %v", err)
 	} else if back, err := DecodeNodeWant(raw); err != nil || back.Composed != "" {
 		t.Errorf("a node want naming no composition came back %+v, %v", back, err)